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Saints fall to Giants at buzzer

Art Stapleton
Published 4:39 p.m. CT Sept. 18, 2016

New York Giants kicker Josh Brown (3) kicks the game winning field goal as time expires during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The Giants defeated the Saints 16-13.(Photo: Ed Mulholland/USA TODAY Sports)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Last week was all about the return for Victor Cruz.

This one was all about redemption.

Cruz’s leaping grab on a third down pass play on which he took an interception away from Saints cornerback Ken Crawley for a 34-yard reception that set up Josh Brown’s game-winning field goal from 23 yards out as time expired in the Giants’ 16-13 triumph before a crowd of 77,727 at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants won their first two games of the regular season for the first time.

It was the 10th game-winning kick of Brown’s career. This was his first game of the season after serving a one-game suspension in Week 1 for violating the league’s personal conduct policy related to a domestic violence incident involving his former wife in May 2015.

A year after losing a shootout in New Orleans in which the teams combined for 101 points, the Giants repeatedly shot themselves in the foot offensively. They committed three turnovers in the first half – including a fumble by Cruz in the open field — and failed twice to get in the end zone with seven chances inside the 11.

But Manning, Cruz and the Giants rallied for what stands as the 30th fourth-quarter comeback of their two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback’s career.

Janoris Jenkins raced 65 yards after scooping up a blocked field goal by Johnathan Hankins for the game’s first touchdown with 2:30 left in the second quarter. It was the sixth touchdown of Jenkins’ career, the previous five coming during his tenure with the Rams.

That was the first return of a blocked field goal for a touchdown since Kevin Dockery went 71 yards for the score against the Eagles on Dec. 7, 2008.

The Saints pulled even on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Brees to Willie Snead, capping a nine-play, 74-yard drive.

The Giants faced a first-and-goal from the 1 and came up empty, settling for Brown’s second field goal with 8:46 remaining following

After the Giants went ahead 13-10 on Brown’s first of two field goals, Wil Lutz tied the game at 13 with a 45-yard field goal with 2:54 to play.

Saints cornerback P.J. Williams took a knee to the helmet while trying to tackle Giants tight end Larry Donnell following a 6-yard pass. Saints teammate Craig Robertson also kneed Williams in the back of the head in the same collision.

Several players signaled for the medical staff immediately and the Giants’ training staff came off their sideline due to proximity of the play and checked on Williams.

A cart quickly came onto the field, but Williams was attended to by trainers for nearly 6 minutes. He was eventually immobilized on a backboard and was taken off the field to applause from the crowd and both teams.

On its television broadcast, FOX reported that Williams had lost consciousness, but could move his extremities. He was taken via ambulance to the hospital for further evaluation.